After two years of research, the Chartered Institute of Building has released its newly published Code of Quality Management in response to a number of high-profile construction incidents.

Aimed at improving the overall quality of construction across the UK, the Guide to Best Practice Construction Quality Management provides industry professionals with a single resource to help them achieve a higher, safer standard of work.

Construction Quality

A renewed focus was placed on the construction industry in February 2017 following the closing of 17 schools in Edinburgh. Just months later, the tragic events of the Grenfell Tower fire raised the profile of this issue even further.

These events ultimately led to the creation of the Construction Quality Commission, made up of former CIOB presidents. Over the course of two years, the CQC created the Code of Quality Management, which was made public this week.

High Standards

Following the Grenfell Tower incident, the resulting Hackitt report highlighted that “the system does not facilitate good practise” and that “there is insufficient focus on delivering the best quality building possible”.

The CIOB aims to act as a moral compass for the construction industry, promoting pride in work and quality output, and hopes that the new code will help industry professionals to maintain high standards across the board.

The result should be an increase in quality and an overall safer output of work from construction jobs going forward.

High Standards

The new code of conduct for industry professionals should help raise the bar for those in the construction industry and really contribute to building work across the UK.

At Access Training UK, we’re also committed to providing would-be construction workers with the tools and knowledge to help them strive within the industry.

If you’re interested in entering the construction industry and learning a valuable trade the right way, why not do so with Access Training UK?

While many people are panic-buying coffee, baked beans and various other post-Brexit goods, a (semi) silver lining is starting to emerge.

As it stands, the average salary for a construction worker is sitting at roughly £45,900, for a site manager, £50,500, and for a senior site manager £62,900! Amazingly, some construction workers are commanding wages not dissimilar to our MPs. Back in 2017, the average salary for a construction worker was considerably less, at only £42,300.

That's incredible news for the lucky individuals working in these construction roles, but the reason their wages are so high leaves much to be desired for the British economy.

Why Have Construction Wages Gone Up?

The uncertainty around Brexit is (unsurprisingly) causing workers from overseas to lose confidence in Britain and the job prospects it can offer. As expected, they're beginning to seek work elsewhere in the world. On top of that, many foreign nationals who have been living and working here for years are getting cold feet and seriously considering packing up and leaving (if they haven't done so already).

Whether this will have a positive impact on the construction workforce long-term is yet to be seen, but the initial impact has been somewhat fruitful for those that remain.

The Construction Worker Commodity

Nearly 1/3 of construction workers in London are originally from Europe. As Brexit takes its toll, our pool of EU construction workers is starting to evaporate, leaving the remaining workers to fulfil demand. As with any commodity, be it gold or grain, it becomes more valuable as it goes down in number - construction workers are no exception!

So, as the number of construction workers in the UK goes down, the demand for skilled workers goes up and suddenly, being good at your job makes you considerably more valuable than you may have been a few years ago!

The downside of all this? Brexit is putting extra strain on manufacturers who are unable to progress with business as usual until Brexit has blown over.

Time to Train

If you've been thinking about learning a trade or working in the construction industry, it seems as though there's never been a better time to start! Not only can you benefit from steadily increasing salary prospects, but you can also help keep Britain's construction industry afloat in this time of turmoil!

Here at Access Training Academies, we offer avenues into a huge range of construction industries, including but not limited to:

And more! If none of these courses takes your fancy, there's plenty more for you to choose from. If you're interested in starting a new career in a professional trade, then give us a call on 0800 345 7492 now!

Following Chancellor Philip Hammond's new budget, the construction industry is speculating on how its announcements could affect jobs and opportunities here in Britain. The budget gives insight into the government's vision of Britain for the coming years, as well as their predictions for the economy.

Following a few tough years for the construction industry, we waited with baited breath to hear the plans, and it looks like it may be good news. Here is a closer look at how the some of the announcements from the budget will help the construction industry:

Help for first-time buyers

The abolition of stamp duty is great news for first-time buyers buying a property that is worth less than £500,000. This means that first-time buyers will save an average of £1,660 when purchasing homes between £300,000 and £500,000.

This is sure to encourage more people to buy property, as 80% of people buying their first home will now not have to pay the highly-criticised stamp duty that buyers were previously subjected to.

The need for new homes

The government is aiming to build 300,000 new homes a year - numbers that have not been seen since 1970. With the decision to buy new land for the purpose of creating more homes, there will be far more opportunity for those trying to purchase a property.

The government will also create 5 new 'garden towns'.

How will this affect the construction industry?

Where there are new homes, there are new jobs for construction workers. With Britain looking to expand its homebuilding industry, there has never been a better time to learn a trade. The ongoing UK skills shortage has given carpenters, plasterers, tilers and various other tradespeople the opportunity to find plenty of work for decent pay.

The 2017 Autumn Budget is encouraging when considering the job opportunities for those in the construction industry. Hopefully, it will also encourage more people to learn a trade skill which will, in turn, help the skills shortage.

If you would like to take advantage of the skills shortage and join this growing industry, you should look at the trade training courses we offer here at Access Training. We help get you qualified and working in the shortest possible timeframe. Go to our homepage to see what we offer, or contact us todayto discuss your options.

Today - the 8th of March, 2016 - is International Women's Day. This annual event began more than 100 years ago, and every March it serves as a great opportunity to celebrate the amazing achievements of women all over the world.

However, IWD is also an opportunity to highlight the many areas where gender equality still hasn't been achieved, and regrettably, our own field is a prime example. Female workers are still astoundingly rare in the construction and trade industries; according to this article from last year, women account for just 11% of the UK construction industry's total workforce, and only 1% of those women actually work on construction sites. Women are similarly under-represented in trades such as plumbing and electrical work, and while the ratios are beginning to shift, it's clear that there's still a long way to go.

So how can we encourage more people to learn a trade and join these male-dominated industries? First of all, people need to change their attitudes towards tradeswomen, and that applies both to the general public and to representatives of the trades in question. A couple of years ago, the Telegraph ran an article suggesting that roughly one-third of the UK population would be "suspicious" of a female electrician, and countless tradeswomen have shared their stories of the sexist remarks that come their way . Here's one example from Hattie Hassan, founder of Stopcocks Women Plumbers (originally reported on Sky News in 2014):

"Someone sent me an email saying, 'Look, love...plain and simple, women can't be plumbers. You'll break a fingernail and have to go out shopping to console yourself. Or you'll go running screaming when you see a spider.'"

Clearly, these sort of attitudes aren't helping anybody - it's easy to see why a budding female plumber or gas engineer might be put off. For this reason, we also need to do work harder to encourage women to join these trades in the first place, and that responsibility, at least to some extent, falls to training providers like us. The promotional materials distributed by construction/trade training centres are often targeted specifically at male learners, but this approach benefits nobody - after all, it's in the training provider's interest to attract as many new students as possible, regardless of gender.

Here at Access Training, we try to make people of all genders/races/backgrounds feel welcome at our training centres. We realise that we could still be doing more - for example, most of the photos currently on our website are of men, not women. But the sad fact of the matter is that, right now, most of the people who enquire about our courses are male, and while we are keen to do whatever we can to get more women working in the trade and construction industries, it seems that this goal will be extremely difficult to achieve until people - namely the people who are "suspicious" of female electricians, the people who tell women they "can't be plumbers", and anyone else who continues to perpetuate the false notion that women aren't cut out for these jobs - adopt a more positive, welcoming attitude towards people who, at the end of the day, are just as capable of mastering these skills as any man.

Since the 2015 General Election,
Britain has seen many changes in the way that the UK is run, and this
year is no different. Yes, we are talking about the hot topic of the moment –
the EU Referendum.

The EU referendum has turned in a
rather controversial issue, with people from every industry having their say on whether Britain should stay or leave. This is because an EU exit will have
profound effects on how Britain will conduct future business – especially in
the construction industry. Reassuringly, a survey conducted by Smith and
Williamson found that only 15% of construction company executives favoured leaving
the European Union.

One of the major issues that leaving
the EU would present to the construction industry concerns access to labour. Presently, the UK is experiencing a huge skills shortage across the construction
industry, which means that we are relying heavily on foreign workers to come over and help fill the gap.

One of the fundamental values of
the EU is free movement, which makes immigration around EU counties relatively
easy and stress-free. If Britain exits the EU then emigration into the UK will become more difficult, discouraging skilled workers from entering the country
and focusing on countries still within the EU. On a positive note, there will be more jobs
within the construction industry, but fewer people to fill them.

The EU is a trading union, which
has helped break down barriers that make it difficult for companies to do
business and invest in each other’s businesses. With the threat of a Brexit looming, multimillion-pound manufacturing giants
have already expressed concerns about investing in an independent UK. One of
the biggest advantages to being in the EU is that we are granted free
trade between member nations. This makes it easier and cheaper for British
companies to export their goods and - more importantly for the construction
industry - building materials.

Even though the vast majority of
construction companies are currently in favour of staying in the EU, it is important
to look at the counter arguments of the 15% minority. For instance, the
chairman of JCB plans to vote in favour of a Brexit because it “could cut the costs of bureaucracy
so much that any additional costs of leaving the EU would be easily covered”.
He also disagrees with the claims that it will make trade more difficult with
other EU countries because “it is in everyone’s interests to trade openly and
freely.”

It is hard to predict what knock-on effect a Brexit will have on the UK’s construction industry because no
country has ever left the EU before. Over the coming months we are going to
hear a lot of arguments to stay or leave, and possibly a lot of contradictory information
about what will happen if we do decide to exit. At the end of the day, it is up
to us as individuals to come to an educated decision as to whether we think it will
be beneficial for the UK to stay or leave.

The average construction industry wage for workers rose by 6% in 2015, according to the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. This rise is significantly higher than the average increase for UK workers in general (2%), and it proves that construction is one of the most lucrative career choices for British workers at present.

Why have construction industry wages risen so much?

Construction industry wages have risen because the demand for skilled construction workers is particularly high at the moment. This is due to the desperate skills shortage that Britain is currently experiencing; simply put, there aren't enough competent professionals in the country to cover all the work that's currently available to them.

(Furthermore, with an EU referendum on the horizon, many are concerned that the shortage could soon get even worse - if Britain were to leave the European Union, it would be harder for new workers to enter the country from elsewhere in Europe.)

This shortage has allowed the UK's construction workers to take on more jobs and charge higher prices, further increasing the construction industry wages. A recent survey showed that the majority of construction firms (61%) reported "a sharp rise in wage costs" for 2015.

Which skills are most in-demand?

Competent bricklayers are reportedly hardest to come by at the moment, but the skills shortage is an industry-wide problem, and more or less all construction industry workers are earning higher wages because of it. Winter is a particularly busy time for plumbers; you may remember that we wrote a blog post about this matter last month.

Should I be worried about this?

It depends on who you are. You've probably heard about the housing crisis that's currently affecting parts of London and Southern England, and the construction skills shortage certainly isn't helping on that front; many of the government's housebuilding plans will be thrown into turmoil if Britain fails to find more builders soon.

It may also be a problem if you yourself need any work done - as previously mentioned, the skills shortage has enabled contractors to charge significantly higher rates for each job, so be prepared to get your wallet out!

However, the skills shortage could be very good news indeed if you're planning to join the construction industry. With demand outstripping supply by such a wide margin, this is a golden opportunity for those looking to retrain and start a new career - that gap in the market needs to be filled, and there's money to made if you can do so.

If you'd like to gain the qualifications necessary to become a professional construction worker, we at Access Training can help. Contact us for details, or select one of the following course options to learn more:

A recent Financial Times article revealed that contractors in London now refuse 1 in 2 jobs, suggesting that workers now have the freedom to pick and choose which contracts they accept. As we have seen reported countless times over the past year or so, the UK is currently experiencing the worst skills shortage for a generation, leading to an increased demand for skilled labourers such as plumbers and bricklayers.

While the construction industry is growing at an accelerated rate, the availability of skilled manual workers and trade professionals is failing to keep up with the demand. This may seem like rather bleak news for the sector, however, it is actually quite promising news for skilled tradesmen and those looking to enter into these "in demand" skill areas. According to the same Financial Times article as referred to above, the average cost of a construction contract in London has risen by 10% over the past year, which demonstrates that the construction industry is becoming more and more lucrative.

There is clear evidence to support the conclusion, that those in possession of the required skills are highly likely to find an abundance of jobs on offer in their area of expertise, leaning to freedom of choice and the probability of being offered financial incentives in order to select a particular employer. There has quite clearly, never been a better time to enter into the sector, an objective easily reached with the right training and qualifications.

At our Access Training facilities we offer an abundance of construction courses to suit a variety of skill levels, whether you are new to the industry, or are looking to improve your existing skills in order to meet trade standards. There are a number of courses on offer that will equip you with the right skills in order to succeed in this field, instilling you with the correct practical and theoretical knowledge to progress in your desired career.

To find out more about the excellent service we can offer aspiring skilled professionals, visit our 'About Us' page.

If you caught our blog post yesterday you'd have seen that Britain's capital has quite a few construction projects in mind, and so skilled bricklayers are needed more than ever to keep up with the schedule. So much in fact, that wages are approaching an all-time high.

With wage inflation rates currently running as high as 10% thanks to skill shortages, bricklayers are are currently earning around £170 per day. However specialists are expecting this to rise to a staggering £200 a day!

Carpenters are another trade currently enjoying similar pay rates, with plasterers also cited as being in high demand.

These are big plans for London rennovation, and qualified constuction workers in the area won't only be finding themselves with plenty of work available - they'll also be able to enjoy these incredible pay rates. If you require the right qualifications to work onsite or want to retrain to work in the construction trade, Access Training Academies are here to help. With our intensive bricklaying, carpentry, plastering, tiling, plumbing, electric, gas and decorating training courses, you'll be able to quickly and effectively learn the skills you need from veteran tradesmen with years' of experience in the business.

Take advantage of the amazing construction opportunities available and give us a call on 0800 345 7492 today.

We're well over the halfway point of 2014 and even now the construction industry's huge growth spurt still shows no signs of slowing down. There have been so many pieces of news coming out lately that doing a blog post for every one of them would have taken ages! So here we've put together some of the latest headlines to have hit trade and construction news websites to show why it is a better time than ever for Britons to consider a career in the construction industry;

That's quite a few stories, all of which are pointing to the same two conclusions - construction growrth is at an all-time high, and skilled workers are going to be desperately in need to make sure this growth continues. Whether you're a school leaver or someone looking for a fresh start in a brand new job, Access Training Academies can help make that career in the construction industry happen. We specialise in all forms of construction training, including carpentry, plastering, tiling, bricklaying and painting/decorating - all of which have been specially designed to train you to the level of professional in a short and effective time frame. Along the way you'll earn the proper qualifications needed to start your new career, learning from tutors who've spent years' working in the industry. Despite the short timeframe, there's no quality skimped on our courses and you'll also have the additional benefit of learning trade secrets from those who know the ins and outs of the business.

For more information on our range of construction courses, give Access a call on 0800 345 7492 today and we'll find the perfect construction course for you.

Even if they aren't part of a trade, one of the first things people probably think about when they look at a building site is how safe it looks. Health and safety is always the top concern when it comes to building site work, and new statistics from the Health & Safe Executive show just how different things are in comparison with 40 years ago.

Their new document, titled 'Statistics on fatal injuries in the workplace in Great Britain 2014' suggests that the number of fatalities in Britain has dropped by 85% over the past 40 years, from more than 650 a year in 1974 to a record low of 133 today. The provisional data also states that there were a total of 42 fatal injuries to construction workers in the UK between 1st April 2013 and 31st March 2014, which is 9% lower than the average figure of 46.

Minister for State Health and Safety Mark Harper praised the findings, calling Britain "officially one of the safest places in Europe - and the world - to work". He also added: "While we all rightly curse false health and safety excuses, it's worth thinking how fortunate we are that we can go out to do a hard days' work, knowing our safety is being taken seriously."

HSE Chair Judith Hackitt also commented on the news, praising the Health and Safety at Work Act. "The Health and Safety at Work Act may be 40 years old but it – and our regulatory system – are world class."

Site safety may be better than ever, but construction workers looking to work onsite still now require a Green Labourers' Card to prove they are qualified to work and are familiar with the health and safety requirements. To earn this, applicants are first required to pass the Level 1 Health and Safety in a Construction Environment award. Here at Access Training we offer the City & Guilds version of this exam, which you can complete alongside your construction training or as an individual qualification. To find out more on the exam and the changes made the the Green Labourers' Card. give us a call on 0800 345 7492.

s1jobs, Scotland's largest recruitment platform, is reporting a "digital revolution" within the construction industry as they saw an almost 50% rise in job vacancies advertised online in April 2014 compared with the same month last year.

With the construction industry still very much in the middle of its recent boom, it seems job seekers are also getting wise to this with s1jobs also recording more than 46,000 job applications in the first four months of this year.

They believe this suggests that the stereotypical image of a builder is a thing of the past (and they wouldn't be wrong there!), with them now more likely to be scrolling through job listings on a pc, tablet or smartphone. More than 35,000 searches for construction vacancies are made on the s1jobs site each month, while 13,500 candidates have looked to maximise their recruitment prospects by posting their CV online on s1jobs.

Scottish construction recruiter Contract Scotland was also in agreement of this new trend, with spokesperson Jennifer Brown saying: "IT literacy is assumed these days rather than requested. Take it from us, we haven’t seen a paper CV in years – I would definitely say it’s becoming a thing of the past."

Don't be fooled into thinking this is just a trend happening in Scotland either. The ever-increasing use of the internet to advertise and apply for jobs is something that's happening all across the UK - and arguably the world as well! With the floodgates open for people all over to apply for jobs, it's more important than ever that you make sure you have the right skills to put yourself ahead of the crowd. And the most effective way to do that is with an Access Training Academies trades training course. From bricklaying and carpentry to plastering, tiling and painting/decorating, we have all your construction needs covered complete with full City & Guilds accreditation. Unlike college courses which can take years to complete to the same standard, our courses get you up to speed in a matter of weeks with intensive hands-on training from industry professionals.

From there, the world is your oyster and no amount of online application forms will stop you in achieving your goal. To find out more give our team a call on 0800 345 7492, where our course advisers would be happy to answer your questions.

Many have been speculating it for a while now, but yesterday Sky News were warned by experts that the shortage of skilled workers is having a serious impact on the construction industry's recovery.

In order to keep up with the huge demand for new houses, thousands of workers will need to be recruited and trained over the next few years. Last year a total of 108.190 houses were fully built in England, falling very short of the 220,000 target the Home Builder's Federation says are needed to keep up with demand. In turn, the shortage is then driving up house prices, being cited as one of the many factors contributed to the rising costs.

The CITB estimate that around 390,000 workers left the construction industry during the recession, and since 2008 fewer apprentices have joined the sector. This has resulted in an aging workforce, with a further 410,000 estimated to retire in the next five years.

Speaking to building firms across the UK, Sky News were told that bricklayers and roofers were among the trades the industry is most struggling to get an influx of. One interviewee - Mark Aldcroft, who manages a site near Stockport, also said: "Sometimes we can't get enough of the joinery industry because they're being pulled from pillar to post, various other contractors and house builders."

Mike Bialyj from the CITB said there will "undoubtedly" be an impact on the housing sector, telling Sky: "One in 20 companies were forecasting that their business could be damaged or even irreparably damaged due to the skills shortage, so we really do need to make sure we fill the gap."

With an estimated 80% of properties now unaffordable for the average working family partially because of this, its more important than ever that this skill gap is filled. Construction workers are needed more than ever, and two year-long college courses may not be able to fill them in time. What you need is an intensive training course like the kind we offer here at Access Training. Even though your training will take place in a matter of weeks, these courses don't skip out on any of the quality you'll find elsewhere. You'll learn from experienced tradespeople as you work up from the basics and earn official City & Guilds qualifications along the way. Upon completion you'll have the skills and knowledge of a professional tradesperson and be ready to start a brand new career.

Want to find out more? Get in contact with one of our course advisers by calling 0800 345 7492 or filling in the online form here on our website. They'll be happy to speak to you in more detail, answer any queries and even provide you with a tour of our training facilities.

The housing may be in trouble, but you could be the one to help save it. If you're tired of your current work and/or are looking for something more active and hands-on - then a construction career could be the opportunity you've been waiting for.